HOURS before they perished in a horrifying accident, two women posed happily for a snap.

Ginny Doyle and Natalie Lewis had known each other for many years.

They posted images of themselves with hot air balloon captain, Dan Kirk, as they were about to take part in the Mid-Atlantic Balloon Festival in Ruther Glen, Virginia.

Their balloon was one of three that took off on Friday night, but shortly after takeoff it brushed against a power line and caught fire with Lewis, Doyle and Kirk floating above the festival, screaming for help.

Searchers have recovered their charred remains.

Only hours before death ... Natalie Lewis, 24, (right) and Ginny Doyle, 44, (centre) hours before their death at the Virginia balloon festival. Picture: InstagramSource: Supplied

Doyle and Lewis were members of the University of Richmond women’s basketball staff. Lewis was the director of basketball operations for the Richmond Spiders. Doyle was, the team’s associate head coach.

“As alumnae, classmates, and colleagues — and as invaluable and devoted mentors for our student-athletes — Ginny and Natalie have been beloved members of our community,” the university’s president, Edward L. Ayers, said in a statement.

“Their leadership and friendship will endure in the lives of so many.”

Friends of the balloon captain, Dan Kirk, called him a true ambassador to the sport of hot air ballooning.

The body of Lewis, 24, was found Sunday, about 100 metres from one of the other victims. The remains of Doyle, 44, and Kirk were discovered about 1.6km apart.

A spokeswoman for Lewis’ family, Julie Snyder, called Lewis “an amazing person and a strong person, an athlete engaged to be married.”

Skittish ... Ginny Doyle was nervous about getting into the hot air balloon. Picture: InstagramSource: Supplied

Meanwhile Doyle, a formidable basketball coach, admitted she was nervous about the balloon ride before the fatal crash.

“Getting ready to go up in a hot air balloon today,” Doyle posted on Twitter and Instagram on Friday afternoon.

“Tried it at 6:30am but was too foggy. Will go up this evening #anxiety”

The National Transportation Safety Board said a preliminary report would be released on the crash in 10 days.

NTSB spokeswoman Heidi Moats said investigators were seeking records on the balloon and the pilot.

Body found ... Natalie Lewis, University of Richmond director of basketball operations.Source: AP

More than 100 searchers were called in to scour the woods and fields of the Virginia site of the crash for Lewis and any remnants of the balloon or its basket, state police say.

Eyewitnesses said they saw the gondola burning and heard screams for help, as the balloon was making its descent in a predesignated field.

Local resident Carrie Hager-Bradley said she saw the balloon in flames and heard people yelling.

“They were just screaming for anybody to help them,” she told television station WWBT, adding that she heard one person screaming, “'Help me, help me, sweet Jesus, help. I'm going to die. Oh my God, I'm going to die”.

Burning balloon ... NBC Washington tweeted this picture of the balloon on fire and close to the ground.Source: Twitter

The pilot attempted to retain control of the balloon and snuff the fire and two passengers either jumped or fell from the gondola, state police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said.

State troopers are searching for the balloon and basket, but have so far only located a “debris site” or items that would have been in the gondola.

“We are now transitioning from a rescue operation to a recovery operation at this time,” Geller said.

“Now that we have daybreak, we’re hoping this will definitely expedite the search process,” she said.

She said witnesses saw the pilot struggling to extinguish the fire and opening up the top of the balloon so it would not rise with the heat.

“The witnesses heard an explosion and after that, the basket and the balloon actually separated,” Geller said.

Search effort ... state troopers are searching for two people still missing after a hot-air balloon caught fire in Virginia. Picture: AP/Richmond Times-DispatchSource: AP

Other witnesses said they saw people jumping or falling from the gondola at a dizzying height.

The tragic accident happened near the site of the Mid-Atlantic Balloon Festival.

It was among 13 balloons that took off from Meadow Event Park, home to the State Fair of Virginia, and was approaching a landing site nearby. Two of the balloons landed safely before the third hit the live power line.

The festival was scheduled to begin on Saturday but was holding a special event on Friday for a limited number of people, according to the reports, which said organisers have cancelled the rest of the festival.

Air search ... police have sent up aircraft to scour the rural area. Picture: AP/Richmond Times-DispatchSource: AP